Marinated Tofu Skewers (Weightwatchers Vegetarian): Friday Challenge!

This is another new way of cooking tofu which I enjoyed. This recipe is from the Weight watchers book “Cook Smart: Vegetarian” which again can be bought on Amazon. I’ve cooked a handful of recipes from this book including a broad bean dip and also a noodle pancake dish which was really interesting and something I’d never thought of making before!

Up untill now I had only eaten the tofu plain and the flavour came from the broth or sauce however this time the tofu was marinated. The marinade was made of soya sauce, lemon, ginger, garlic, cider vinegar and a splash of water then the tofu was marinated for atleast 2 hours or preferably over night (I left it for about 3 hours and the flavour was delicious).

The tofu is then grilled, which I was abit curious about because from past experiences Tofu can just fall apart. However after learning that you need to press it to firm it up I have also found that the tofu firmed up considerably after marinating! So against my expectations the tofu did indeed hold together on the skewer!

Like all the recipes in this book this is aimed at being Satifsying and low fat, although I would recommend serving these with a side dish because I was quite hungry after the recommended serving size! I love the idea of food on skewers because you can pick and choose the vegetables you add, I liked having peppers, onion and mushroom (it made a change from all the usual tofu pairings) and next time i’d definitely add some courgette! This was a really simple, super healthy lunch.

What have I learnt about Tofu?Ok so next week I’m going to be doing my own recipe which hopefully will pull together all the things I have learnt – which is more than I ever thought! I literally thought tofu was boring and hard to work with before starting this so I’m really glad I have enjoyed cooking with it so much. From this recipe I learnt that marinating the tofu can make a big difference, the flavours of ginger and soya sauce really came through and it can add another level to the dish! I am going to experiment with marinating tofu for my recipe.

Hi Pam, I used the brand Cauldron, they also do other vegetarian foods like quorn mince and sausages etc! I think they’re good quality so I would recommend it but I think any firm tofu will do the trick.

The first time I pressed the tofu I used a tea towel because I had run out of kitchen paper and I actually found that to be better because it absorbed more of the liquid (although maybe not a fluffy tea towel!). I personally wrap the tofu up and press firmly (without squashing it) on each side of the tofu and repeat this a few times using dry paper/ towel untill it feels a bit firmer. I have seen some people wrap it up and put a book or something heavy on top and leave it for awhile to make it really firm, but I’ve found mine to be firm enough after pressing it down by hand.

I’m really glad I tried cooking with tofu because after a few attempts I now find it really easy and versatile!

Thanks for letting me know, I’ve seen the Cauldron brand. Now I know it’s the right sort I shall have a go – probably on the weekend. The marinades which can be used sound so good. And I agree – fluffy tea-towels just cannot be right..!

I’m close to trying Tofu again, sounds like I had the same experience as you in the past.
I’d be interested to know which brand of Tofu you have used for this? Would you recommend it? Or an alternative?

Also be interested to know how you press your Tofu. In a photo I’ve seen someone do it between tea-towels and wonder if that leaves the Tofu fluffy?!?

Oh wow! The color is great! So inviting! Inspires me to want to try tofu – again. Tried it before – ended up with a scrambled mess that tasted good but didn’t look too appetizing. :) I thought that for firm tofu, all I needed to do was buy the package of tofu that said “firm.” :) My mistake!
I love the versatility of tofu – how it takes on the flavors of your seasonings. But since that former fiasco, I only allowed myself tofu from the chinese restaurant. :)

Hey, aw that’s made me very happy that I’ve inspired you to try tofu again! I was exactly the same and the first time I cooked one of these recipes it all crumbled and looked awful, so I researched more and found out about pressing the tofu which really works!
When I started these challenges I wanted to learn more myself but also share it so others that also weren’t sure about the ingredients can give it ago! Hope your next attempt with tofu goes well :) thanks for your comment xx